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notsobinaryart's review
Compared to Alyssa Cole’s other books in the series, this one seems much less cheery and hopeful. The constant manipulation and gaslighting from one of the significant side characters made the read not entertaining for me. The blatant misogyny also was something I didn’t expect to bother me as much as it did, but it was so severe in this country’s culture (or at least in their politics) that I couldn’t personally find enjoyment.
This isn’t to say it’s a bad book, but I would say to know what to expect before reading this book.
This isn’t to say it’s a bad book, but I would say to know what to expect before reading this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Misogyny, and Sexism
Moderate: Abandonment and Emotional abuse
thewildmageslibrary's review against another edition
3.5
I really loved Shanti in this book! She knows what she wants and is so driven. And wow, she has to put up with a LOT.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, and Sexual content
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Death of parent, and Grief
martamae77's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Death of parent, and Misogyny
Moderate: Colonisation
shinysue's review
I get that story of these two is big personal growth, especially by the king, but their starting point is horrendous and I can't keep reading about it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny
mishi543's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny and Emotional abuse
toffishay's review
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Sexism, and Misogyny
bisexualwentworth's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I hate it when fiction glorifies monarchies, especially in modern contexts, but this book, with its focus on decolonization and progress, really pulled it off.
This is a romance book, and the romance was fine. I wasn’t totally invested in their love or whatever, but I was VERY invested in their partnership and their growth, and I did like them together.
I found the rest of the plot more compelling than the romance, but luckily for me, there was a great mix of both. Shanti, with her laser-sharp focus on her goal of becoming a queen, and Sanyu, with his insecurities and anxieties about being king, were both interesting and compelling.
I thought the handling of abuse and power and patriarchy in this book was pretty good, though the nature of it being a romance means that things got resolved a little too neatly.
The Njazan politics were super interesting and maybe my favorite part of the book, though some of the religious stuff got wrapped up too quickly as well.
I would absolutely read another book set in Njaza. I’d love to see the traditional triad marriage play out in a polyamorous romance novel if the author ever decides to write something like that!
I probably should have started with the Reluctant Royals series since this book has a lot of references to those ones, but I’m planning to read the second Runaway Royals one next because that one is sapphic. Alyssa Cole has done a really impressive job of creating a whole network of fictional countries with fictional monarchies. I think it’s the most worldbuilding I’ve ever seen in a romance series, and I’m definitely here for it!
This is a romance book, and the romance was fine. I wasn’t totally invested in their love or whatever, but I was VERY invested in their partnership and their growth, and I did like them together.
I found the rest of the plot more compelling than the romance, but luckily for me, there was a great mix of both. Shanti, with her laser-sharp focus on her goal of becoming a queen, and Sanyu, with his insecurities and anxieties about being king, were both interesting and compelling.
I thought the handling of abuse and power and patriarchy in this book was pretty good, though the nature of it being a romance means that things got resolved a little too neatly.
The Njazan politics were super interesting and maybe my favorite part of the book, though some of the religious stuff got wrapped up too quickly as well.
I would absolutely read another book set in Njaza. I’d love to see the traditional triad marriage play out in a polyamorous romance novel if the author ever decides to write something like that!
I probably should have started with the Reluctant Royals series since this book has a lot of references to those ones, but I’m planning to read the second Runaway Royals one next because that one is sapphic. Alyssa Cole has done a really impressive job of creating a whole network of fictional countries with fictional monarchies. I think it’s the most worldbuilding I’ve ever seen in a romance series, and I’m definitely here for it!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Misogyny
Moderate: Grief and Death of parent
Minor: Colonisation
honeybeatslibrary's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
I was super late to this book but I'm so glad I read it. I loved the concept of a young lady deciding she was going to be a literal queen and making it happen, and while there were cheesy predictable moments in the story it was really a story that outlined how family pressure, grief and trauma not only impacts an individual but an entire nation. I'm a royal watcher outside of books and I can't help but notice the ties to how a monarch's personal trauma informs the way he governs his people (*stares in Prince Charles and William gotta deal with a whole lotta personal trauma before they have any opportunity to be any kind of decent monarchs and also must address the harm colonization has on countries especially countries that have large POC populations...but I digress). this was a really fun read and I can't wait for the next one :)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Misogyny
accidentalspaceexplorer's review
emotional
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
My biggest complaint about this book is that the summary really doesn't match the book, which really impacted my expectations and consequently my reading experience.
For one thing, I wouldn't consider either the hero or the heroine to be "runaway royals". I also expected the reason the queen wasn't being respected to be because of her outsider status, rather than really blatant and pervasive misogyny that the hero spent most of the book unlearning. To be clear, I didn't dislike him, which is a big credit to him, but I wasn't expecting to have that be his big issue. Honestly, I think that's why I'm so frustrated. I genuinely liked both of the main characters, but instead of getting the story I thought I was getting with them, it was a big slog through misogyny, "tradition", and anxiety.
Overall, while I enjoyed the story, I would have liked it a lot more if it had stuck to the blurb or if I'd known what it was going into it.
For one thing, I wouldn't consider either the hero or the heroine to be "runaway royals". I also expected the reason the queen wasn't being respected to be because of her outsider status, rather than really blatant and pervasive misogyny that the hero spent most of the book unlearning. To be clear, I didn't dislike him, which is a big credit to him, but I wasn't expecting to have that be his big issue. Honestly, I think that's why I'm so frustrated. I genuinely liked both of the main characters, but instead of getting the story I thought I was getting with them, it was a big slog through misogyny, "tradition", and anxiety.
Overall, while I enjoyed the story, I would have liked it a lot more if it had stuck to the blurb or if I'd known what it was going into it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny
zombiezami's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I loved Shanti as a character. She seemed very cold when she made her debut in A Princess in Theory and when she showed up again in A Prince on Paper. I'm glad that she got so much more fleshed out here. She's a badass! I was also really endeared to Sanyu. He reminded me of Chidi on The Good Place: he has so much undiagnosed anxiety, but I'm glad that he gets therapy in the end. So many characters in romance novels very seriously need therapy, not just romantic love, and I'm glad Alyssa Cole understands that!
As in previous books taking place in this world, the fictional African nations have same gender loving characters and it is a complete non-issue, and even celebrated. I loved the idea of triad marriages in this book. It is so healing to read these stories in which homophobia functionally doesn't exist in Africa (at least in the two countries we've visited through these series).
I don't really understand why this is being considered a separate series than the Reluctant Royals series, since so many of the characters in that series show up here. But I'm glad we readers get to spend more time in this world!
As in previous books taking place in this world, the fictional African nations have same gender loving characters and it is a complete non-issue, and even celebrated. I loved the idea of triad marriages in this book. It is so healing to read these stories in which homophobia functionally doesn't exist in Africa (at least in the two countries we've visited through these series).
I don't really understand why this is being considered a separate series than the Reluctant Royals series, since so many of the characters in that series show up here. But I'm glad we readers get to spend more time in this world!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual content
Moderate: Death and Terminal illness
Minor: Animal death, Gun violence, and Vomit